Monday, June 29, 2009

Information leaked last week that Spoon would be releasing their first new material since 2007's Ga Ga Ga Ga Ga; To say we were excited would be an understatement. Not only have we been loving the band's new material in a live setting, but we just felt completely parched for some new studio material from a band that has come to define itself as experts in the realm of recording. Thankfully, the Got Nuffin EP has not left us disappointed.

The four track disc consists of three new songs, and a remix of one. It leads off with the title track, "Got Nuffin", which is pure Spoon bliss. The track has a similar feel to some of the band's other one-off offerings (think "My First Time, Vol. 3") in that it's a straight ahead rock track that has an unquestionable single vibe. That being said, the arrangement is incredibly sparse - probably most like "A Series Of Sneaks" than anything we've heard from the band in a while. In short, we're really digging on it: one of the band's biggest strengths is that they totally kill as a well-honed four piece. If this track is any indication, and the band is headed for a more garagey feel on their next record, well - we're very excited.

"Got Nuffin" is followed by an instrumental entitled "Tweakers", of which there's also a remix. The track places a far larger emphasis on feel than on complexity: it's largely a drum line driven by the occasional effects here and there. If you've heard the Get Nice demo disc, it certainly would be right at home on that record. While it doesn't necessarily win us over for it's catchiness or accessibility, we're glad to see that the band is still pushing their experimental studio technique even in the midst of crafting uber-catchy rock goodness.

The EP closes with "Stroke Their Brains" (apparently once an alternate title for Ga Ga Ga Ga Ga), which finds the happy medium between the two tracks preceding it. The tune has an unquestionably poppy vibe, but at the same time features a more layered arrangement that gives it a depth that wouldn't be there otherwise. Britt Daniel's vocals are far less dominant than on "Got Nuffin", and instead the track works its magic via a solid blend of organ, drums, guitar, and dubby vocal effects.

In many ways, the Got Nuffin EP offers up a montage of the three sides of Spoon: the catchy rock band, the lo-fi experimentalists, and the innovative studio engineers. We have to say, all of the sides appeal to us, so having a selection is completely satisfying. That being said, it's been true in the past that their records tend to have a unified "feel" to them, and so we're painfully curious which direction they'll go in for the next one. In the meantime, we'll spend our sweet time enjoying Got Nuffin.